How to Pick the Right Volunteer Abroad Program
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“Volunteering is at the very core of being a HUMAN. No one has made it through life without someone else’s help.” – Heather French Henry.
If you’re reading this, consider yourself fortunate. Many of us living in urban areas with our families have had the privilege of attending good schools and colleges. We’ve received quality education, have access to proper healthcare, and are accustomed to a life where all our basic needs are easily met.
However, if you take a moment to reflect on those who are not as fortunate as us, you’ll realize that there is a significant opportunity for us to extend a helping hand and improve their lives.
Volunteering is one such act that allows us to connect with others and contribute to making their lives a little better. It can be a profoundly moving experience when you decide to dedicate your time to volunteering abroad and create a long-lasting positive impact.
Now, if you’re wondering how to pick the best volunteering program abroad, then Volunteering Solutions is here to help you. It’s important to understand that each type of volunteer program comes with its own set of pros and cons, so you need to do your research properly.
There are various meaningful volunteer programs available worldwide, and we’ve curated this comprehensive step-by-step guide to help you navigate the process of choosing a project that aligns with your budget, skills, and interests.
1. Decide the budget
A noble soul once said, ‘There’s nothing called a free lunch in this world’ – and yeah, we agree to that too! No matter how minimal it is, your volunteer trip abroad will cost some money (flights + visa + program fee). The amount you’ll pay as a program fee will cover your food, housing, and transportation needed in the country where you’ll be volunteering.
So, it is better to think of a realistic budget while you plan for volunteering abroad – and accordingly, you can either apply for a sponsorship or fundraise if needed.
2. Choose the program that suits your tastes and preferences
Since you’ll be traveling miles and contributing your precious time to work on a project, it’s extremely important to join something that aligns with your interests and motivates you at the same time.
Remember that volunteering is like a coin with 2 sides – while on the one hand, you’ll be helping people in need, on the other hand, you’ll gain incredible first-hand work experience as well as other skills that’ll be immensely valuable in life ahead.
Volunteering Solutions offers a plethora of programs and you can choose the one that suits you best.
Volunteer Teaching Projects
You can opt to volunteer abroad as a teacher and help in spreading the light of education. In most of the developing nations, there’s an urge among the children and youth to learn English – and as a teacher, you can primarily focus on their vocabulary and help them improve their communication skills.
Other than that, you can also take up teaching subjects like history, geography or maths. You don’t have to be a certified teacher or hold a TEFL Certificate to participate in our English Teaching Projects abroad. As a volunteer, you’ll simply need to possess a strong command of written and spoken English.
Childcare Volunteer Projects
If you love to spend time with kids, then this would be the perfect program for you! Trust me when I say this, it’ll be an overwhelming experience to spend time with the little ones, who’ll shower you with unconditional love.
Your main role as a volunteer will be to work closely with kids – teach them, design fun games for them, help in making their meals, feed them, and engage them with learning and playful activities.
Medical & Healthcare Volunteer Projects
These programs are perfect for pre-med, medical and nursing students as well as students pursuing dental health studies. It’ll be a great opportunity to work with professionals and understand the healthcare scenario in Third World Nations.
Our medical volunteering programs cover a wide range of areas, including Emergency Medicine, General Medicine, Radiology, Dental Care, Pediatrics, Surgery, Maternity Care, Outpatient Services (OPD), Pharmacology, Microbiology and Immunology, Internal Medicine, HIV/AIDS Support, Nutrition, Public Health, Midwifery, Nursing, and many more.
Community Development Programs
If you wish to contribute towards the overall growth of a community, then you can choose to be a part of these programs where you can take part in educational programs for children, take up renovation and building work, work with local NGOs in areas of gender empowerment, microfinance, and organize awareness drives.
Environment and Wildlife Conservation Programs
If you love to spend time amidst nature and wish to contribute towards Mother Nature, then these would be perfect for you. You can assist in conservation and preservation efforts under the guidance of the project coordinator. Additionally, you can contribute to the maintenance and care of the forests or the designated project area.
This experience will allow you to gain insights into the local flora and fauna and expand your knowledge. It’s a remarkable opportunity to collaborate with the indigenous communities residing in the area, working together to protect the environment through traditional methods.
3. Decide how much time you can contribute to volunteering
No matter whether you wish to volunteer abroad for a week or wish to take a gap year, you can always make an impact through your contribution – now, the choice is yours! Volunteering Solutions has specially curated 1-Week and 2-Week Special Volunteer & Travel Programs for those who have a time crunch, yet wish to make a difference.
Other than that, all the programs are available throughout the year, and you can choose the duration depending on your availability. We also offer flexible date change options, so that you don’t have to worry about cancelling your plans.
4. Speak to the Program Advisors to know what’s included/ not included
Once you have made up your mind, it is very important to speak to our Program Advisors to gain more clarity about the work as well as the services that we are going to provide you. The Program Fee that you’ll pay will cover the following:
In-country Support: We have our local teams across all the destinations, hence we’ll offer you 24/7 in-country support for anything that you’ll need while you are in the host country.
Accommodation and Meals: We’ll provide you with proper accommodation at the destination (usually allotted on a same-gender sharing basis). All basic amenities are available there, and we make sure that the location is safe. Usually, we provide two to three meals a day.
It’ll be mentioned in your detailed guidebook once you sign up for the program. If you have any dietary requirements, you can inform us about that beforehand and it’ll be taken care of.
Transportation: We offer airport pick-up and drop-off services, as well as transportation from the volunteer house to the project site. If you plan to explore the country, we can arrange for that at an additional cost.
Other than these, the rest of the amount is usually invested in the project – in making it better, as well as in providing help to the host community.
5. Connect with past volunteers
We believe in word-of-mouth, and you should too! We’ve been offering affordable and meaningful volunteer projects for over 16 years now, and have hosted more than 15,000 volunteers across the globe.
No matter whether you wish to travel to Thailand or Peru, South Africa or Ireland – we have had volunteers everywhere and we’d like you to connect with them to gain more clarity about the organization, as well as about the project that you’re going to be a part of.
Your volunteering trip will change the way you look at life – and thus, it is very important to pick the right volunteer abroad program. While the above-mentioned steps are meant to help you in the process, we’re always available for a one-on-one conversation.
Write to us at [email protected] and we’ll get in touch with you.
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